Engineer Addicted To Online Gaming, Steals Multiple Simcard, Took Loans On Them And Did Online Shopping, Arrested

A 23-year-old engineering graduate allegedly addicted to online gaming has been arrested by Pune Railway Police for stealing SIM cards from unsuspecting passengers and using them to gain access to victims' bank accounts, take loans in their names, and make online purchases.

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The accused, identified as Sanket Satish Kulkarni, a resident of Akurdi, Pune, was arrested on June 9, 2026, following an extensive investigation by the Pune Railway Police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

The case came to light after a complaint filed by Vinod Sadashiv Renke, 47, a resident of Sangli. According to police, Renke was waiting in the sleeper waiting room at Pune Railway Station on January 22, 2026, when he left his mobile phone charging. Later, he discovered that the SIM card had been removed from his phone.

After obtaining a replacement SIM card, Renke received messages indicating that a loan had been fraudulently taken in his name and a mobile phone worth Rs 1.13 lakh had been purchased through Flipkart. Unauthorized transactions amounting to Rs 4,500 had also been made from his bank account. Based on his complaint, Pune Railway Police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Investigation Faced Technical Challenges

Police said that CCTV cameras inside the waiting room were not operational at the time of the incident, making it difficult to identify the suspect. The accused also frequently changed SIM cards, complicating efforts to track him through technical surveillance.

A breakthrough came on May 29, 2026, when a similar SIM card theft was reported from Sleeper Waiting Room No. 2 at Pune Railway Station. Investigators reviewed CCTV footage from various locations across the station and successfully obtained images of the suspect.

Based on the footage and intelligence gathered through informants, police maintained surveillance for 11 days before laying a trap and apprehending Kulkarni.

During interrogation, Kulkarni allegedly confessed to the crime. Police said he admitted that he needed money to fund his online gaming addiction.

According to investigators, the accused would steal SIM cards and insert them into his own mobile phone. He would then access victims' Gmail accounts and retrieve photographs of Aadhaar cards, debit cards, and other sensitive documents stored in Google Photos. Using this information, he would reset PhonePe and Paytm PINs, transfer money from victims' accounts, obtain loans in their names, and purchase goods online.

Police have so far linked him to at least three similar offences. Cash, electronic devices used in the crime, and items purchased through fraudulent transactions have been seized during the investigation.

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Following his arrest, the accused was produced before a court and was initially remanded to police custody. After the completion of police custody, he was sent to judicial custody and lodged in Yerawada Central Jail.

Priyanka Sharma, Senior Divisional Security Commissioner, Pune Division speaking to Free Press Journal said, as per the preliminary examination the accused was commuting the crime for the last 3-4 months. How many people have been cheated by him is the part of the investigation. So far 3 sim card have been stolen by him from the railway staion. In the lure of online gamings and other needs he was operating the Nexus. We are investigating whether is there any gang or he was operating alone. Furthermore the matter is under investigation.

Railway Police have urged citizens to adopt stronger digital security measures.

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